All About Purchasing A New Area Rug

Area rugs are such a great complement to flooring- especially when it’s a hardwood, natural stone, or marble flooring. They can create an entirely new look for any room around the home- but they also come with their fair share of maintenance (just as any carpet fibers do). If you’ve never owned an area rug before or are branching out into different fibers- we’ve got a quick guide full of area rug maintenance just for you. It’s short and sweet, so stick around!

Regular Vacuuming

Just like carpet, area rugs need to be vacuumed on the regular. Yes, we know you were hoping to get out of this mundane chore, but no can do, friends! At least once a week, make sure to vacuum your area rugs. It’ll do them a ton of good. And of course, if they receive more than occasional foot traffic, you might find yourself vacuuming more than once a week! 

Spot Treating Stains

Next, you’ll want to learn the ropes of spot treating stains! Accidents happen all the time, and there’s little we can do to prevent them. But what we can do is promptly tend to the stain, and properly remove it from your area rug. If it’s a tough one and you need a little bit of help, don’t hesitate to rely on the professionals. There’s no stain tougher than The Steam Team! 

Steam Cleaning

As always, we recommend steam cleaning for all carpets- area rugs and carpeting alike! It’s the best, most efficient, most environmentally friendly way of cleaning! And it truly works well. So if you’re looking to deep clean your new rug, perhaps try steam cleaning. The results might really knock you off your feet. 

The Steam Team is your leading steam cleaning company in Austin, TX. Don’t hesitate to give us a call! We’re available 24/7 for emergency situations; we’re always there for you.

What Is the Best Way to to clean in Austin?

Leather is less forgiving than fabric and requires thoughtful care. The same cleaning service applies whether your leather product is a sofa or a handbag. We’ve put together a few universal tips for how to best care for your favorite leather items and avoid damaging them in the future. 

Don’t use soap—not even mild soap. 

Soap is drying, and unlike your skin, leather can’t replenish any natural oils that are washed off. It will eventually become dry and brittle. And you can’t add oil, because oil stains leather. Instead, use a damp cloth (water only!) to gently wipe the dust off your leather. 

Don’t soak it in water

Never immerse your leather in water. If your leather somehow winds up waterlogged, give it time to dry naturally, even if it takes a few days. Don’t put it in front of a heater or use a blow dryer.  

Avoid direct sunlight or extremes in temperature 

Be sure your leather furniture or clothing items aren’t placed in direct sunlight. Although leather fades with time, the direct light and heat will speed up the process and damage the leather. Keep it away from air-conditioners or radiators, too, and cool or heat your home at a consistent temperature.

Blot spills

If you spill something on your leather item, use a paper towel or cloth towel to blot the spill. If it’s a grease stain, sprinkle talcum powder or baking soda on the stain to absorb the oil. Once the spill is cleaned up, use a leather cleaner product, or wipe with a damp cloth.  

Buy a leather cleaner and protector 

Consider purchasing a quality leather cleaner and protector. The cleaner might come in handy when accidents happen, and the protector will help with damage control if applied from the get-go. If you’re looking for a recommendation, contact us at The Steam Team. We’re always happy to help!

How Should You Care For Your Leather?

Many people get leather furniture or upholstery and think that it won’t ever require any care or maintenance, and that it can’t be damaged like some other materials can. And on the flip side, some people won’t ever get leather because they feel that it is too complicated and requires too much maintenance to care for. The reality is somewhere in between these. Let’s talk about some expert advice from The Steam Team to understand leather and how to properly care for it.

Knowing Your Leather

To properly care for your leather furniture, upholstery, or anything else, you need to know what type of leather you have and what method of care goes along with it. When it comes to full grain leather, you should use a lightly damp cloth with warm water when you need to clean a spill or stain, and be sure not to scrub heavily. With Hair-On leather, you can gently vacuum or dust it with a dry cloth. We won’t go into detail about all the methods here, but do research to find the right cleaning method for your leather.

Day-to-day Care

The daily care of leather is typically very simple. When it comes to spills, try to get them cleaned immediately using only the specific method for your leather, as stated before. Do not use any standard chemical cleaner on your leather or you’ll risk doing damage. Also be sure to keep your leather away from any direct sunlight or a heat source, as it could cause the leather to dry out and fade in color.

Our Leather Cleaning Service

Much more important than the daily maintenance is an annual deep clean and oiling that is required for any leather. Without having its natural oils replenished about once per year, leather will lose its color and comfort.  Luckily, our professional technicians offer this service, and we have our very own line of leather cleaning products for the job. For more information about our leather replenishing service, visit The Steam Team website.

Who Will Restore Your Home After A Serious Fire?

There are few things as disastrous to a home or business than a serious fire. Even after the flames have settled and firefighters have left the scene, the dangers aren’t over yet. Without proper care the building could become even more damaged over time- but if you call The Steam Team, our professional technicians will arrive with the right equipment and knowledge to start the restoration process and save your property from further damage.

Should You Restore The Building Yourself?

You may be tempted to try your own restoration process on the burned home or business, but it’s important to know that smoke and burned chemicals still pose a very serious threat after the fire has run its course, and entering the property may cause you to inhale these harmful substances. Instead, wait for professional technicians to show up.

Ash and soot left behind from the flames may have gotten into the air conditioners, making for a difficult breathing environment and causing further damage to the home if not cleaned soon. Harsh odors from burning items may be trapped in the home and will require extensive cleaning or removal of certain home items to get rid of. The walls and ceilings may also be discolored or have dark stains from the smoke.

For all of these reasons and many more, its best to leave the job of fire damage restoration up to trained professionals with the right equipment. That’s where The Steam Team comes in.

The Steam Team

When you call in our professional fire damage restoration technicians, they’ll start with a thorough inspection and an estimate of repair costs. Then they’ll seal off the property with boards and roof tarps before using high-powered equipment to remove all water (If any persists) smoke, or soot. When this is complete, our technicians will begin on the full cleaning and restoration process, bringing your home back to it’s best condition.

For more information on our many services including carpet cleaners, visit The Steam Team website.

Combating Allergies? Try Rug Cleaning

Are you battling Austin allergies this season? We know sometimes it seems like you just can’t get rid of them. It’s completely understandable! Austin is the allergy capital of the world! And fortunately, there are some things we can do around our homes to help those allergies ease right up! Let’s take a glance at a few areas to check this season, and let The Steam Team help you spruce them up!

Window Blinds

Dust, dust, and more dust! That’s the downfall of window blinds; they collect dust so easily! But dust is an allergen that we can conquer. It’s time to call in The Steam Team; we can clean your window blinds from where they hang! Steam cleaning is an effortless cleaning process that uses nothing but hot water and high water pressure to remove allergens from your home like dust, dander, and pollen!

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are also known for collecting dust, and once there’s enough dust on the blades all the fan does is circulate it! Can you imagine what that circulation does to your allergies? Definitely not anything that is good for you. So grab your microfiber cloths and wipe away all of those allergens! Once you’re finished, you’ll be so impressed with the results!

Mattresses

Finally, your mattress! It needs your attention. We don’t think about the amount of time we spend in close quarters with all of the allergens that are lurking in our mattresses. But it’s true, mattresses hold in dust, dirt, sweat, dander, and odors that we really don’t want around. So let’s deep clean the mattress by having it steam cleaned by The Steam Team! Steam cleaning is great for mattresses as it helps to remove old stains and odors, as well as allergens!

Let’s steam clean away all of these allergens this season! Give The Steam Team carpet cleaners a shout if your home could use some TLC! We’d love to come help out!

After the Fire: Ridding Your Home of Odors

No matter the scale of damage after a house fire, the experience can be traumatizing and at the very least, stressful! But don’t worry; The Steam Team has your back. There’s no fire or smoke damage that we can’t handle! And when it comes to smoke damage, we know exactly how to bring back that fresh scent you’ve been missing! Below are three tips to rid your home of smoke odor after a house fire.

Properly Ventilate the Area

After a fire, your home needs a ton of fresh air! It’s highly important that you properly ventilate the affected area. How do you do this? By opening all doors and windows (keep pets from escaping by using baby gates at the entrances to your home), and place box fans all around the area. Set them to high! This will help push contaminated air out of your home.

Do Some Deep Cleaning

Unfortunately, the only way to permanently remove smoke odor is to properly clean everything. This means gathering up linens to be washed and/or dry cleaned (couch covers, blankets and sheets, clothing, etc). It also means washing your drapes, walls, and thoroughly cleaning all surfaces in your home. If the task is too heavy, call in a professional cleaning company!

Call the Steam Cleaners

A professional cleaning and restoration company can be very useful in times like these. They can get the cleaning job done in no time, without you having to lift a finger! They can also effectively remove smoke odors and restore your home to its original condition!

The Steam Team is always here to help; in fact, we’re available 24/7. So if you’ve recently endured a house fire and need assistance (and normalcy), just give us a call today! We have all of the right tools and expertise for the job.

Area Rug Cleaning: Done Right In Austin Texas

Area rugs are a great way to add personality to an otherwise bland and boring room! They also protect our carpet from foot traffic, and catch dirt and dust right in their tracks! But that’s one reason why they need to be cleaned so frequently- and thoroughly. For professional area rug cleaning, always trust in The Steam Team. We have over ten years of experience cleaning and caring for them; you won’t be disappointed in our results. But until we arrive, follow these guidelines for keeping your area rugs in tip top shape! Visit our state-of-the-art rug cleaning facility. 

If the Rug is Small, Shake it Out!

If your area rug is small enough, you can simply take it outside for a good old fashioned beating! This will help rid the rug of dirt, dust, and grit. It’s also a great way to take out your frustration!

Vacuum Large Area Rugs

Large area rugs must be vacuumed frequently. You’ll be surprised at how much dust, dirt, and hair your vacuum extracts from your rug.

Turn Rugs Every Year

Foot traffic can put extra stress on area rugs. Try to turn them once or twice a year to even out the wear and tear!

Brush Rugs to Rid Them of Pet Hair

Sometimes vacuuming doesn’t cut it when it comes to pet hair, and you’ll need to brush it out. This is a much more effective method.

Keep Area Rugs Out of Direct Sunlight

Sunlight does a great job at causing discoloration in our beautiful area rugs. If you can’t keep your rugs out of direct sunlight, rotate them periodically so that they at least fade evenly.

And as we mentioned before, if ever you’re in a pickle, just pick up the phone and call The Steam Team! We have everything you need to clean and care for your area rugs. Steam cleaning is quite possibly the best option for cleaning carpet and rugs; it extracts dirt and debris from those fibers like no tomorrow!